We've
tallied up signatures that have come in this week and it looks like we're not
going to make it this year. With just two days left to deliver signed petitions
to the Secretary of State, we've got only about 70,000 signatures in hand — less
than half of our 150,000 signature goal.

The failure of the measure to make the ballot is not a surprise. Jimerson, who owns a graphic design business in Corvallis, was getting only minimal help from the state's largest anti-abortion group, Oregon Right to Life and was not able to afford paid petitioners.

Gayle Atteberry, Right to Life's executive director, said her group had instead decided to focus on the legislative races.

"We're totally supportive of it," she said, "but we did not think it was the best use of our money this year."

Atteberry added that "nationally, we see a great sentiment against using tax money for abortions. But it's not as high here."

To qualify for the ballot, Jimerson needs to turn in at least 116,284 valid signatures to the secretary of state's office by 5 p.m. Friday.

Right to Life has been cautious about tackling ballot measures in a state where the voters have repeatedly voted against initiatives attempting to put additional restrictions on access to abortion.

The last vote on the subject was in 2006 when a measure requiring parental notice for minors seeking an abortion was defeated by about 130,000 votes. And some Republican legislative candidates have made it clear they didn't want abortion to be a big issue in their campaigns -- something that would have been the case if this measure had made the ballot.

Abortion rights activists had taken the Jimerson's effort seriously enough that they had retained political consultant Carol Butler to begin planning for a fall opposition campaign, if that proved necessary.

"It's bad news for" her business, "good news for the state," quipped Butler after hearing that the measure wouldn't make the ballot.

"Oregonians have proved again and again at the ballot there isn't support for this," Butler added.

Jimerson had said in a previous interview that he thought it was time to bring the issue of state funding for abortion back to voters since there hadn't been a ballot measure on the subject since 1986. Voters that year upheld funding for abortions for low-income women who receive health care through the state.